A frightened horse charged into a residential complex in Guiyang, China, and a 5-year-old girl was dragged nearly two kilometers to her death after the horse’s reins became wrapped around her neck.
According to reports from Chinese media, the incident took place on the evening of the 12th of this month in the Duxi Forest Farm residential complex, Baiyun District, Guiyang City, Guizhou Province. As of the 22nd, reporters have learned that local police have initiated a criminal investigation against the horse owner for “negligent homicide.”
Reportedly, the 5-year-old girl, Xiao Xuan (pseudonym), was playing in the complex when two frightened horses suddenly rushed in. The reins of one horse flew up and, unfortunately, became entangled around Xiao Xuan’s neck, dragging her nearly two kilometers. After being notified, her mother found Xiao Xuan outside the complex, but she died despite emergency treatment. Forensic examination determined the cause of death as “mechanical asphyxia by neck ligature combined with cranio-cerebral injury.”
Investigations found that the horse owner, He Mou, is a resident of the complex who had long kept horses in a makeshift stable on a nearby hillside, using them for paid rides for tourists at attractions. Before the incident, the horses had been tied outside the complex, but several days of rain had loosened the stakes, allowing the frightened animals to break free and rush into the community. Previously, some residents had raised concerns about the safety hazards of keeping horses, but these had not been addressed.
Currently, the Baiyun Branch of Guiyang Public Security Bureau has opened a criminal case against He Mou for “negligent homicide” and has placed him under official control. Relevant local authorities have met with the family, and the exact circumstances are pending further police investigation.
The girl’s father, Mr. Yan, said that according to accounts from eyewitnesses, Xiao Xuan and other children were playing in the complex when one black and one white horse came charging in from outside. The sudden appearance of the two horses startled the children, who yelled and ran toward the basketball court, with both horses chasing behind them. As the horses were running, the reins of one flew up and became tied around one girl’s neck—the girl was Xiao Xuan. The frightened horse dragged Xiao Xuan in a frenzied run, only stopping at several stone piers on a road outside the complex, nearly two kilometers from where she had been playing. “Residents chased after the horses, but they ran very fast. After five hundred meters out of the complex, they could no longer be seen.”
Mr. Yan said the family cannot accept Xiao Xuan’s death and are determined to seek justice for their child.